My Experience at the Wazobia Family Funfair

Wazobia celebrated its 10th anniversary this year with its annual Family Funfair in Houston. The celebration was filled with food, entertainment, activities, and Nigerian culture. Wazobia consists of both Wazobia Market and Wazobia Kitchen, and the event was open to everyone with no admission fee. For Nigerians in Houston, Wazobia is already a familiar name, so it was no surprise to see such a large crowd come out to celebrate with them.

This was my first time attending the Wazobia Family Funfair. I had known about the event the previous year but did not have the chance to attend. When a friend invited me this year, I decided to go with my brother because I wanted to experience something that was both fun and culturally significant to Nigerians in Houston. I expected the event to mostly be about food and music, but I quickly realized that there was much more to it.

The first things I noticed when I arrived were the many stalls and the music stage. The event was very crowded, which I expected because Wazobia is a familiar name among Nigerians in Houston. There were so many things happening at once that the atmosphere could feel a little overwhelming, but in a good way. There was always something to look at or something happening nearby.

There were stalls selling clothes, food, jewelry, traditional statues, and other cultural items. Seeing these different things together made the event feel like more than just a funfair. It felt like a small gathering of different parts of Nigerian culture in one place.

Of course, food was one of the things I was most interested in seeing. There were many different food and drink options available, and I tried drinks, ice cream, suya, and rice. I did not try any of the swallow dishes because I wanted to keep my diet simple that day, but there was still plenty for me to enjoy.

The different stalls also gave people the opportunity to explore more than food. There were clothes, jewelry, traditional statues, and relics that caught my attention. The statues, relics, and jewelry were actually some of the things that reminded me of home the most.

There were also plenty of activities for families. Children had games and face painting available, while adults could participate in the raffle. Unfortunately, I did not win anything from the raffle, but I did get a caricature done with my brother. There was a caricature booth where we were able to get one done for free, which was a fun little memory from the day.

One of the other activities was a gele-tying competition, where contestants competed to see who could tie gele the best, with the winners receiving money. Activities like this added another cultural element to the event and made it more interactive.

The entertainment was another major part of the Funfair. There were performances from the Wazobia choir as well as DJs and live performances throughout the event. I wasn’t able to stay for everything because of my schedule that day, which was unfortunate because the live performances were one of my favorite parts.
Music is also one of my interests, so seeing the performances was something I naturally enjoyed. Even though I couldn’t experience the entire entertainment lineup, the performances I did see added a lot of energy to the event.

The biggest part of the experience for me was being able to see different parts of Nigeria in one place, similar to what I was used to seeing back home. I felt very happy being there because it gave me a chance to experience my culture in a familiar way, even though I was in Houston.

I didn’t participate in every activity, and I wasn’t there for the entire day. I mostly observed what was happening around me, but I still had a lot of fun. Sometimes, simply being around people, food, music, clothing, and cultural items that remind you of home can be enough to make you feel connected.

The statues, relics, and jewelry especially gave me that feeling of familiarity. They reminded me of things I would see back home and made the event feel more personal to me.

For Nigerians living in Houston, events like the Wazobia Family Funfair can be a way to socialize and reconnect with their community. It creates a space where people can enjoy Nigerian food, music, activities, and cultural items while also spending time with family and friends.

My first experience at the Wazobia Family Funfair was different from what I expected. I originally thought I would mostly be going for food and music, but the event offered much more. From the different vendors and cultural items to the games, performances, and food, there was always something happening.

What I enjoyed most was the feeling of being surrounded by different parts of Nigerian culture. As someone living in Houston, being able to experience that culture in a different environment is something I appreciate. The event reminded me that you don’t always have to travel back home to experience pieces of what makes home familiar.

I may not have participated in everything the Funfair had to offer, but I enjoyed simply being there and observing the different activities around me. I would recommend the event to Nigerians who want to reconnect with their community, families looking for a fun cultural experience, and anyone interested in learning more about Nigerian culture in Houston.

The Wazobia Family Funfair was more than just a day of food and entertainment. It was a celebration of Nigerian culture, community, and the people who continue to carry that culture with them in Houston.